Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation overshot excursion from clearance altitude. Fi...

Attributes
ACN	146858
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : arr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	146858
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 500
ASRS Report	146869
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching dfw, copied ATIS information. Dfw using ILS 36R, 36L, and 31R with no exceptions except usable length of 31R. After intercepting localizer and tracking inbound at 3000', controller cleared us for the ILS 31R at 3000'. He did not mention that the G/south was OTS. This NOTAM was buried in our dispatch papers but we missed it. I was on dfw VOR for distance information and first officer was on localizer 110.9 (with no DME). In the vicinity of vande (approximately 7.5 from runway 31R) we realized there was no G/south and we queried approach about this. He said G/south was OTS for 31R. As I checked for new MDA and altitude restrictions, first officer saw 7.5 DME on #1 VOR which is the approximately distance from pwy to vande as published along bottom of profile view F ILS 31R, page 61-8, dfw. Of course, this is not a distance to use for crossing restrictions. In addition, and while I was still trying to comprehend the new procedures, the first officer thought vande was the marker and started down to the MDA of 980' (457'). As we passed 2400' (the marker crossing height), I finally realized we needed the love R208 to identify vande and dialed it in. It was not off the peg yet. For whatever reason, I managed to not believe this information and to think we were well past vande. We ended up at 2000' MSL prior to the FAF before we realized we had probably made a mistake. In the heat of the battle we still weren't sure. We leveled off at 2000' when approach gave us our final clue by saying cross the marker at 2400'. We were visibility by this time and switching to tower for landing clearance. As usual, there is a chain of events in these types of incidents. Missed the G/south OTS in the NOTAMS, no other reminder of this fact and too far into the approach to prepare for crossing restrictions once G/south out became known to us. Lessons: learned: read the NOTAMS, be prepared and when all else fails, go around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALT DEVIATION OVERSHOT EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT. FO DESCENDS BELOW CLRNC ALT BEFORE THE FAF.

Narrative: APCHING DFW, COPIED ATIS INFO. DFW USING ILS 36R, 36L, AND 31R WITH NO EXCEPTIONS EXCEPT USABLE LENGTH OF 31R. AFTER INTERCEPTING LOC AND TRACKING INBND AT 3000', CTLR CLRED US FOR THE ILS 31R AT 3000'. HE DID NOT MENTION THAT THE G/S WAS OTS. THIS NOTAM WAS BURIED IN OUR DISPATCH PAPERS BUT WE MISSED IT. I WAS ON DFW VOR FOR DISTANCE INFO AND F/O WAS ON LOC 110.9 (WITH NO DME). IN THE VICINITY OF VANDE (APPROX 7.5 FROM RWY 31R) WE REALIZED THERE WAS NO G/S AND WE QUERIED APCH ABOUT THIS. HE SAID G/S WAS OTS FOR 31R. AS I CHKED FOR NEW MDA AND ALT RESTRICTIONS, F/O SAW 7.5 DME ON #1 VOR WHICH IS THE APPROX DISTANCE FROM PWY TO VANDE AS PUBLISHED ALONG BOTTOM OF PROFILE VIEW F ILS 31R, PAGE 61-8, DFW. OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT A DISTANCE TO USE FOR XING RESTRICTIONS. IN ADDITION, AND WHILE I WAS STILL TRYING TO COMPREHEND THE NEW PROCS, THE F/O THOUGHT VANDE WAS THE MARKER AND STARTED DOWN TO THE MDA OF 980' (457'). AS WE PASSED 2400' (THE MARKER XING HEIGHT), I FINALLY REALIZED WE NEEDED THE LOVE R208 TO IDENT VANDE AND DIALED IT IN. IT WAS NOT OFF THE PEG YET. FOR WHATEVER REASON, I MANAGED TO NOT BELIEVE THIS INFO AND TO THINK WE WERE WELL PAST VANDE. WE ENDED UP AT 2000' MSL PRIOR TO THE FAF BEFORE WE REALIZED WE HAD PROBABLY MADE A MISTAKE. IN THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE WE STILL WEREN'T SURE. WE LEVELED OFF AT 2000' WHEN APCH GAVE US OUR FINAL CLUE BY SAYING CROSS THE MARKER AT 2400'. WE WERE VIS BY THIS TIME AND SWITCHING TO TWR FOR LNDG CLRNC. AS USUAL, THERE IS A CHAIN OF EVENTS IN THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS. MISSED THE G/S OTS IN THE NOTAMS, NO OTHER REMINDER OF THIS FACT AND TOO FAR INTO THE APCH TO PREPARE FOR XING RESTRICTIONS ONCE G/S OUT BECAME KNOWN TO US. LESSONS: LEARNED: READ THE NOTAMS, BE PREPARED AND WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, GO AROUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Air carrier medium large transport altitude deviation overshot excursion from clearance altitude. First officer descends below clearance altitude before the FAF.